Apparatus for treating oil.



CJ. GREENSTREET.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING OIL. APPLlc-loN FILE'D APR. 13. 1912.

CHARLES J. GREESTREET, or -WEBSTER GRovEs, MISSOURI;

APPARATUS FOR TEREATING OIL.

i Animation mea April 13, 1912. -seriai No. 696,483.-

sgthe county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Treating Oil, ofwhich the following is a specification,

My invention relates to an appara-tus for treating crude oil,.particularly heavy hydrocarbon oils, and has for its principal ob]ect, to provide for the conversion of such heavy .l'iydi'ocarbon oils into lighter hydrocarbon oils.

i Specification of'ietters Patent.

The present invention consists inr the parts i and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and clalmed. The apparatus herein described is adapted to carry out the processes setforth in my which is located a long'continuous coil of' in communication with the heating coil 2,

co-pending applications, 'Serial Number 614,125 filed March 13, 1911'; and` Serial Number 696,891 ledMay 13, 1912,y now,

Patents 1,110,923 and 1,110,924, respectively, of Sept. 15, 1914.

The accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification,- is a general View of an apparatus embodying my invention. My apparatus comprlses a furnace l 1n iron pipe 2. The upper end of this coil is connected by apipe 3, .atomizer 4, pipel 5 and branch pipes 6 and 7 to oil Ifeed tanks 7 provlded. with a valved pipe 44 whlch opens 8 .and 9. Each of the branch pipes 6 and contains cut off valves 10 and 11 whereby either or both of the tanks may be placed as desired. The feed tanks Sand 9 are likewise connected about midway o f -their height by valved branchpipes 12 and 13 with a pipe 14 which communicates with the delivery side of the pump 15, and theinlet side of saidpump 15 communicates through a valved pipe 16 with an oil supply tank 17.

A steam pipe 18 leading from a boiler-for' source of steam has branch pipes 19 and'20.

leading'to the respectivev oil supply tanks 12 vand 13, each of said pipes ,containing a control valve 21, 22; said supply tanks 12 and 13 are likewise provided with suitable pressure gages y23 and 24. Another branch pipe 25 leads from the steam pipe 18 and opens into the atomizer 4, whence it communicates through the pipe, 3 with the heating coil-2;l and thispipe 25 is likewise provided with a' pressure. gage 25a. Another branch pipe 2 6 leads from the steam pipe Patentamt aan. 4, 191e.

into a suitable oil burner 27, .which burner affords suitable means of heating the fur.4 nace. This oil burner is supplied with oil througha pipe 28vwhich communicates with a fuel oill supply tank 2,9, this fuel oil supplytank 29, in turn, communicates through a valved pipe 30 Witha pipe 31 which communicates with the outlet pipe 14 of the pump 15 at a point ,betweenl the pump'and 'a valve32 insaid outlet pipe.

The outlet end ofthe heating coil 2 communicates through a pipe '33 with a 'consaid tank 35 about midway of the height.

thereof.,v Likewise the tank 35 communicates with athird tank 37 and -the third tank 37 with a fourth tank 38 and thefourth tank witha fth tank 39, each tank in turn being connected to the next by .the pipes 36Al arranged as hereinbeforedescribed.

The endmost tank 39 has a pipe 40 extending from the top thereof and vcommunicating with a .condensing coil 41 and said coil,

in turn, communicates with the top` of the tank 43 by means of a connecting .pipe 42'.

This tank `43 is hereafter 'referred toas the gasolene separation tank.

The bottom of the gasolene tank 43 isf?.

into the top l'of a tank 45 located immediately below the gasolene tank and hereinafter .designated as a still tank and the bottom of this still tank in turn connects through a valved pipe 46 with the top of a tank 47,

hereinafter referred toas the collection tank..

connects through valved branches 49, 50,

and 51 with the bottoms of Athe gasolene separation tank, still tank and collection tank, preferably, through the `pipes 44 andi 4 6 hereinbefore mentioned.

'95 A .pipe 48 'for drawing off the waste water- Extending from the top of the still tank isfa pipe 52 which communicates with a con- (lensing coil 53; and the 'bottom of this coil is provided with a goose-neck or other suitable trap 54 in thedelivery pipe 55.

f Betweenthe coill and `the trap is a pipe 56 which opens into the upper side of the delivery pipe and extends nearly to the bot'- tom of a tank57 which isgpartly filled with heavy oil and is hereinafter designated as the casing-head gasolene absorption tank.

ln practice, it is desirable to duplicate this casing head gasolene absorption tank as shown at 58, the communication between the two tanks being madeb)7 means of a pipe 59 which extends from the top of the `'rst casing head gasolene absorption tank to nealr' the bottom of the second absorption tan The still tank 45 has a valved steam pipe (56h-opening into the lower portion thereof, this steam pipe being` connected with a pipe 61 which is a branch of the main steam pipe 18. `The outlet pipe 52 of the still tank has a branchpipe 62-which communicates with the top of the gasolene tank 43, this branch pipe 62 containing a valve 63.

krl`heV collection tank 47 has 'an outlet pipe 64 extending from thetop thereof to a reverse condenser 65 whose lower portion communicates with a tank 66, the bottom of which tank communicates through a branchJ pipe with the pipe 67, which pipe in turn communicates with the valved pipe 46 which opens into the top of the collection tank. @pening into the lower portion of said collection tank 47 is a pipe'68 which has valved branches extending upwardly into the bottoms of theseveral condenser tanks 34, 35, 37, 38 and 39. The bottom of the collec-` tion tank 47 is provided with a valved pipe 69 which communicates with the inlet side of the pumpv15. y

- A tank 70, hereinafter referred to as the supplemental supply tank, has a valved pipe 35 71 which communicates with the upper part of the collection tank 47. Within this tank is ar heating coil ending in a valved pipe 72 which communicates with aV waste steam outlet pipe 73; and likewise the'heating coil 60a in the still tank has a valveldfl pipe 74 which communicates with the saine outlet Ipipe. Extending from the steam pipe 61 to the'upper end of the heating coil inthe supplemental supply tank 70 is a valved branch ipe 75; and likewise a valved branch pipe 6 extending from the branch outlet pipe 31 of the pump opens into the upper portion of said supplemental supply tank. By this arrangementthe sup lemental supply tank- P can be readily replenished from the source of oil supply. A branch steam pipe 77 extending from the pipe 61 extends down throughjthe last lcondenser tank 39 nearly to' the .bottom thereof and a'ords ameans of heating and producing pressurey on the contents thereof when it is desired to remove the same from said tank.

Preferably the furnace and the pressure gages and also the pyrometers 78 are all separated by a partition 7 9 from the other partsA of the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: rlhe furnace is first' heated by means of the crude oil su ly from the burner tank 29 of the burner 2%, where it is atomized by tank, where the more easily condensed pori,iee,eea

steam injected through the branch steam pipe 26. Meanwhile, steam from the branch pipe 25 is being injected through the atomizer 4 and forced through the apparatus under pressure from the original source of steam. During this preliminary. heating, not only the temperature of the coil is raised,l butthe temperature of the condensing tanks is also'raised. When the heating coil reaches a cherry red heat, one or both of the valves in the branch steam pipes 19 and 20\\a\re opened to produce a pressure on the crude oil supply tanks 8 and 9 or one of them; and either orboth ofthe valves 10i or 1*1 in the outlet pipesl of said tanks are opened gradually to permit the oil to be forced therefrom into the atomizer. The oil thus atomized is forced under the pressure of the steam through a long heating coil,

where it is gradually transformed from 85 heavier hydrocarbons. into lighter hydrocarbons.' `This transformation is provided for and facilitated by the high temperature, the pressure inside ofv said coil, the continuous smoothness of the interior ofA the heating coil and the uniformity of its cross sectional area and by other factors incident to the apparatus. vFrom the heating coil, the product passes 'into the first condensing tion of the product is condensed. rl`he remainder. of the product passes into the next tank where the more easily condensable portion is condensed and so on from tank to tank. As the operation of the apparatus continues the condenser tanks gradually be-` come hotter, so that a portion of the product which condenses in a given tank in the early stage will distil over into the next at a later stage in the operation; and it is desirable to continue the operation until the temperature of the last condensing tank is lslightly' in excess of the boiling point of water. From the last condensing tank, the product passes' through the condensing coil 41, which is preferably cooled by water or other artificial means;V .so that the resulting product which enters the gasolene tank is mostly gasolene and water. v'

'llhe'K lightest portions of thel product, 115 which are not condensed in the condensing coil 4l, pass through the pipej62 into the condensingcoil 53, and the gaseous portions emerging from the condensing .coil 53 are ,trapped by the gooseneck 54 .and forced to 120 fpassl through the pipe 56 into the casing head gasolene absorption tanks 57, where connection between the gasolene tank and still tank is cut off, and the valve 63 is closed. Live steam isthen injected through the branch pipe 60 into the still tank with 52 into the condensing coil 53. From the condensing coil the gasolene passes to the delivery pipe 55; but the lightest portion of the gasolene is trapped and escapes through the bypass 56 into the casing head gasolene-tank 57 where it is absorbed by the heavy oil provided for the purpose in said still tankisdrawn ofi' and the remaining contents are passed into the collection tank 47. F rom .time to time the contents of one or more of the condenser tanks is drained` into this collection ,tank and as the temperature of the contents'of the condenser tanks is high,'a portion thereof will evaporate and pass through the reverse condenser whence it is returned when Vvdesired to the collection tank. When desired, the communication between thesupplemental supply tank and the collection -tank is opened to allow crude oil to be forced into the collection tank, the

Y collection tank thus receives a portion of the-f product condensed in the condensing tanks as well as the residue of the still and a portion'of crude oil. The condensing tank is placed in communication with Athe 'supply' pipe of the pump either alone or simultaneously with the main-supply tank,' Vas de-j lsired; so that the contents of said condensing. tank vare passed through the apparatus in the lsame way as the original supply of 'crudeoiL V Qbviously, the apparatus hereinbefore diescrlbed may `be modified without departing from my invention, and I do not wish to be.

restricted to the details of construction herea inbefore set forth. For instance, instead of "pumping the residue from the collect-ion tank into-the oil feed tank, the 'residue may be pumped directlyinto the heating coil. So, too, when it is desired to treat viscid oils, it is desirable to have a preliminary heater between the oil feed tank and the in- 4jector 'or atomizer,l whereby the oil is brought into condition to respond to the contemplated operation of said injector or atomizer.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for treating voil which comprises a furnace,'a coil of pipe therein exposed directly to the he'at of said furnace,

the inner surface of `said coil being free` `from abrupt changes, asource of steam pressure and a source of `oil supply commumcating with the inlet end of said coil, and a condenser communicating with the 'outlet end of said coil, whereby the .oil -is'forced -L An -apparatus -through the coil under pressure, said furnace being adapted to heat said -coil to a cherry red heat and said coil being capable of the apparatus.

2. An apparatus for'- treatingoil which comprlses a furnace, a long helicalcoil of umform cross-section thereln andl exposed directly to` the heat ofv said furnace," said' coil being free from obstructions and abrupt angles, an oil supply tank communicating with the inlet end of said coil, a source of tank. After this distillation the operation "is continued for some time,'the waterin the steam supply communicating with said'jnle; end and also with said tank, anda condensercommunicating with the outlet end of said coil, said furnace being adapted to heat said coil to a cherry red heat and said coil being .capable of withstanding the internal-pressure lcaused1 therein by such heat in the normal operation of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, a long continuously coiled pipe in said furnace and exposed directly to the heat thereof and free from obtional area, an injectorcommunicating with said coll on the 1nlet side thereof, a source of steam pressure and a source of oil supply .communicating with said injector and a condenser communicating with the outlet end o f said coil, said furnace being adapted to heat said 'coil to a cherry red heat and said coil beingvcapable of withstanding the internal pressure vcaused therein by such" heat in the Anormal operation of the ap paratus. 4 l.

for treatingoil which comprises a furnace, a coil 'of `continuous pipe therein exposed directly to the heat thereof and having a single inlet anda single outlet, -an injector communicatingwith said coil on the inlet side thereof, a source of steam supplyand a source of oil supply communicating with said injector, a condensing tank communicating with the outlet endof said coil, a condensing coil communicating with said condensing-tank, a separation tank communicating with said con- V densing coil, and a collection tank communi- .cating with said VJcondensing tank and-with 4said separation tank, said furnace being adapted to heat said coil to a cherryredfheat and-said coil being capable of withstanding the internal pressure caused therein by such f heat in the normal 'operation -of the apf 5. An apparatus for treating oil which' I" 90 structions and abrupt changes of cross-secj ing tanks communicating serially With the condensing coil, a collection tank communi.

eating With said condensing tanks and with said separation tank, and a communication between the source of steam supply and the lastof the condensing tanks, said furnace being adapted to heat said coil to a cherry red heat and said coil being capable of Withstanding the internal pressure caused therein by such heat in thenormal operation of the apparatus.

6. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, a continuous'coil of pipe of uniform cross-section therein arranged heat and having a single inlet and a single outlet, an injector communicating with said coil on the inlet side thereof, anoil supply tank communicating With said injector, a source of steam supply communicating With said injector and With said supply tank, a condensing tank communicating With the outletend of said coil, affcondensingcoil communicating with said condensing tank, a separation tank communicating With said condensing coil, and a collection tank communicating with .saidcondensing tank and with said separation tank.

7. An apparatus for treating. oil which comprises a furnace, a coil of continuous pipe therein arranged and adapted to be heated to a red heat, an' injector communicating with said coil on the inlet side thereof, a source of steam supply and a source of oil supply communicating With said injector, condensing tanks communicating serially with the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil communicating With said condensing tanks, a separation tank communicating with lsaid condensing coil, a still tank arranged for said separator tank to drain into, a collection tank arranged for said still tank to drain into, a heavy oil tank, a second condensercoil communicating with said separator tank and said still tank, a delivery pipe for said second'condenser coil, and a trap in said delivery pipe, said delivery pipe having an escape pipe between said coil and said trap and adapted to convey the lightest hydrocarbons into said heavy oil tank. i

` 8. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, a coil of continuous pipe therein, an injector communicating with. said coil on .the inlet side thereof, a source of steam supply and a source of oil supply communicating with said injector,-

condensing tanks communicating serially with the outlet end ofsaid coil, a condensing coil communicating With said condensing tanks, a separation tank communicating with said condensing coil, a still tank arandA adapted to be heated to a redA l iaceeaj. a

ranged for said separator tank to drain into, a collection tank arranged` for said still tank to drain into, draw-onl pipes for all of said tanks, a heavy oil tank, a second condenser coil having a delivery pipe and a trap in said delivery pipe, and an escape pipe between said coil and said trap and adapted to convey the lightest hydrocarbons into said heavy oil tank.

9. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, a heating coil therein, an oil feed tank, means for forcing oil from said feed tank into said coil, a source of steam supply communicating With said heating coil, a number of condensing tanks serially connected to the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil connected to said condensers, a gasolene separation tank communicating With said coil, a still tank communicating With said gasolene tank, a collection tank communicating With said still tank, and an outlet pipe leading from said condensing tanks to said collection tank.

10. An apparatus for treatingoil Which comprises a furnace, a heating coil therein,

'meansfor forcing oil into said coil, a source of steamsupply communicating With said heating coil, a number of condensers serially connected to the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil connected to said conydensers, a gasolene separation tank -comcomprises a furnace,

municating with said coil, a still tank communicating With said gasolene tank, a' collection tank communicating With said still tank, and an outlet pipe leading from said condensing tanks to said collection tank, and 'a reversecondenser for said collection tank.

l1. An apparatus for treating oil Which a long heating coil of small and uniform section therein, said coil being free from obstructions and abrupt angles and eXposed directly to the heat of the furnace, means for forcing oil `into said coil, a source of ing With said heating coil, a number of condensers serially connected to the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil connected to said condensers, a gasolene separation tank 'communicating with said coil, a still tank communicating with said gasoleneu tank, a collection tank communicating vwith said still tank, and an outlet pipe leading from said condensers to said collection tank, and Y a pump arranged to return oil from the collection tank to the heating coil.

l2. An apparatus 'fon treating oil Which comprises a furnace, coil of continuous.

pipetherein, an injector communicating With said coil on the inlet side thereof, a

source of steam supply and a source of oil supply condensing tank communicating with the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil communicating With said .condensing tank, a separation tank communicating with said steam supply communicatcommunicating with said injector, a

- inlet sideis connected' to said collection tank4 condensingcoil, a collection tank communi-r cating with said condensing tank and with.

j supply communicating i with said injector,

outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil j oil -receptacles provided therefor.

a condensing tank communicating with the communicating with said condensing tank, c

a separation tankcommunicating with said condensing coll, a collection tank commumcating with said condensing tank VMand with said separation tank, and a reverse condenser for said collection tank. v

14. An apparatus for treating oil which y t plpe, andan escape pipe between said coil comprises a furnace, a coil of continuous pipe therein, an injector communicating with said coil on the inlet side thereof, a source of steam supply and a source of oil supply communicating with said injector,

condensing tanks communicating serially with the outlet end of said coil, a condensing coil communicating withr said condensing tanks, a separation tank communicating with said condensing coil and having delivery and draw-off pipes', a stilll tank arranged for said separator tank todrain into and means for heating saidv still tank, a collection tank arranged for said still tank to drain into, and a condenser for said coil` having a delivery pipe, a trap in said delivery' pipe,` an escape pipeileading from said delivery pipe between said coil and said trap and opening into said heavy oil recep, l

tacles. l

16. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, la coil of continuous pipe therein, an injector communicating withsaid coil on the inlet sidethereof, a source of steam supply and av source of oil supply communicating with said injector, 'af condensing tank communicating with the outlet end of said coil, 'a condensing coilV communicating with said condensing tank, v a separation tank communicating with said condensing coil, and a still tank arranged for said separator tank to drain into, a collection tank arranged for said still tank to drain into, a second condensing coil commudelivery pipe and ka trap in said delivery tank, an oil feed tank communicating with said injector anda source of steam supply communicatingwith said injector and withy said feed tank, condensing tanks communicating serially with the outlet end of said coil, a

\ condensing coil communicating with said constill tank, said still tankhaving anv outlet" cating with said condenser, a delivery pipe for said condenser and .a trap in said delivery pipe, and an escape pipe between` said coil and said trap and adapted to convey the .lightest hydrocarbons into 4heavy 15. An apparatus for treating oil which comprises a furnace, a coil of continuous pipe therein, an injector communicating with said coil on theinlet side thereof, a

densing tanks, a separation tank communieating with said condensing coil and havingV delivery and draw-olf pipes, a still tank nicating vwith said still tank and havinga arranged for said separator tank'to drain 'c into and having a condenser 1n communication with the upper part thereof, a collection tank arranged for said' still tank and said 4condensing tanks to drain into, and having. communication with said oil supply tank,

"said condenser having a delivery pipe and a :trap -in said delivery pipe, and an escape pipe between said trap and said coil arranged to deliverthe lightest hydrocarbons,

source of steam supply -and a source 'of oil supply communicating with said injector, a condensing tank communicating with the loutlet end of, said coil, a condensing coil communicating with said condensing tank, a'

separation tank communicating; with said -condensing coil, a still tank arrangedy for said separator tankto drain into, a collection tank arranged for said still tank to Y drain into, heavy oil receptacles, a condenser and ya pump whose inlet side communicates with said collection tank and Whose delivery side communicates with said oil tank.

vSigned at St. Louis, Missouri,.this 11th day of April, 1912.

' CHARLES J.

.Witnessesz ALBERT H. CRoIssANT, M. A. SHELTON.

GREENSTREET. i 

